Iditarod Winner Is Race's Oldest Ever

Mitch Seavey scores 2nd victory at age 53

(Newser)
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This year's Iditarod winner is its oldest ever—and he just happens to be the father of last year's winner, the youngest ever. Mitch Seavey, 53, and his 10 dogs finished the grueling 1,000-mile race in nine days, 7 hours, and 39 minutes, the AP reports. He also won in 2004. The runner-up this year took the No. 2 spot last year, too: Aliy Zirkle crossed the finish just 24 minutes behind Seavey, making it the fourth-closest Iditarod. "You're going to win this thing, probably more than once," Seavey told her.

The two had been in tight competition. "I just now stopped looking over my shoulder," Seavey said after winning. "This is for all the gentlemen of a certain age who think it ends at 50, 'cause it doesn't," he noted, per the Anchorage Daily News. "I gotta go congratulate my lead dog, Tanner ... He’s probably the best I’ve ever had." He wins $50,400 and a 2013 Dodge Ram pickup. Zirkle will receive $47,100. "I was going for it," she said, "but that slippery little sucker, I couldn’t catch him."

Mitch Seavey became the oldest winner and a two-time Iditarod champion when he drove his dog team under the burled arch in Nome on Tuesday evening, March 12, 2013.
(AP/ Anchorage Press/ Alaska Dispatch)

Mitch Seavey became the oldest winner and a two-time Iditarod champion when he drove his dog team under the burled arch in Nome on Tuesday evening, March 12, 2013.
(AP/ Anchorage Press/ Alaska Dispatch)

1,000 miles!....This supercedes the Indianapolis 500 by 500 miles. No change of tires, no gas refueling, no pit stops, no yellow caution flags....just pure guts and Glory!.... Tanner the lead Dog and his companions! Tanner's Bond with his Master. The lady too...just 24 minutes behind...wow...at least she received near 1st place money.... This event has got to get bigger...I'm 71 and feeling strong to get going...I want to do it.....Wishful thinking. First Prize should be in the Millions...as the weekly Golf tournaments are. Winners win upwards of a million every week. Competition is fierce....over 100 players competing...if you don't finish in the top ten strokes at end of two days, you get cut, and get no pay. 1942

trailmix

Mar 13, 2013 12:28 PM CDT

Congrats to the winner, and to the runner up. Way to go girl !!

Tology

Mar 13, 2013 9:41 AM CDT

It's almost like winning a bus race because you sat in the seat behind the driver.

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